Soto's Revenge
by Continental Drifter
Summary: A cat has nine lives, right? Diego did. Remember his words in Ice Age? NINE LIVES, BABY! Well, what about Soto? Didn't he have nine lives, too? Yes, he did.
1. Soto Returns

Soto's Revenge

At any given moment, Diego could've sworn that life was perfect. He was a parent now, of three sabre cubs that pranced around in excitement. Shira was happy, he was happy and life was great. But he was too focused on the present to see what was coming in the future.

The herd was moving at a slow pace to migrate. They seemed to always migrate, always trying to look for that perfect place where they could stay. Diego believed that the last six places were the perfect place, but of course, Manny refused stubbornly and they had to keep going on.

Little did they know that about 82 miles east from them was Half Peak- where Soto lay dead, as they all assumed. But did they know that Soto was a cat too, just like Diego? If Diego had survived being attacked by Soto in pursuit of protecting his herd, why hadn't Soto?

Why hadn't? He _did _survive. The remaining members of the pack loyally remained with Soto until it was confirmed that he was dead.

No more than twenty minutes after the herd reunited, Soto stood up. He was a strong cat. The strong sabre stood up, and gave a wicked glare at the pack.

'Nine lives,' he hissed evilly and the pack rejoiced. 'We have work to do, everybody. But firstly, make sure that we have Diego dead.'

An evil sneer tingled up from the pack. Soto was standing up firmly and he led the pack to where he could find Diego.

'Who is the one that took one life off my nine?' Soto reminded sharply when the pack began to get tired of proceeding through the snowy distance.

'Diego did,' the pack chorused in unison.

'Who chose to keep a mammoth and baby as a friend, not for food?'

'Diego did!'

'Right, now get moving,' Soto ordered and they continued pressing on, their tracks invisible in the blizzard.

Soto was planning revenge on Diego. He had no idea where they were, what they had done and he was still consistently vowing revenge. He wanted that mammoth now. He was physically responsible for his death and Diego was too. Betrayals, Soto told himself, betrayals over and over again. Had Diego really been that stupid? He had gone against his own pack and united forces with a mammoth and an unhygienic sloth.

The pack was down one, down by the second strongest. Now, they had to fight for survival, fight at all costs. If they made it, their victory would be food, food that they were meant to get a long time ago.

'You know, Sotz, we seriously could've just left you months ago, you know?' Zeke remarked, prancing around the snow.

'Get back, Zeke, and no fooling around or your meat will rest with us,' Soto threatened. 'And just to let you know, my dear sabres, I want Diego alive, so I can kill him.'

The herd finally arrived at a resting spot and Sid was just exhausted. He couldn't talk and that relieved Manny. But seconds later, Sid was up and jumping again.

'I'm going to go into the forest, guys,' Sid announced, pointing towards a large bushy forest. 'I'm _starving _here!'

'I'm coming too, Sid,' Diego said. 'Just for safety precautions.'

So the two walked east, towards the forest and towards where Soto was! As Diego walked through the abandoned forest, he had a strange feeling that felt a bit unsafe. Sid didn't care because he was hungry and looking for fruit to munch on.

'Sid,' Diego hissed. 'We have to get out of here.'

'No way, Diego!' Sid gasped. 'I want food!'

Diego continued on and he could've sworn he saw another familiar sabre-tooth-tiger. He pressed on, anxiously.

Back at Soto's pack, Lenny ran back to Soto and declared news.

'We're close,' Lenny announced. 'I can smell Diego. Oscar's gone further down to a forest.'

Soto nodded and saw Oscar panting hard, stopping near Soto. He couldn't talk, he was so out of breath. Finally, he coughed and declared the news.

'I found Diego,' Oscar said. 'He's in the forest. It's quite far ahead still.'

'Get him!' Soto commanded. 'I've also heard some more alarming news.'

The pack looked at Soto in suspicion. 'What do you mean, more news? I thought we just find Diego and bring him here alive?'

Soto inhaled deeply and then exhaled. His face glowered with rage.

'My daughter is down there.'


	2. Realisation

Soto's Revenge Chapter 2

The herd was resting and they planned to do so for about a couple nights. Diego and Sid were still in the forest and Ellie was beginning to worry. Manny was slightly worried too, hoping that they did just go search for food. Crash and Eddie were asleep, sleeping beside the small campfire that blazed against the twilight sky.

'Let's just hope they get back by dawn,' Ellie suggested quietly and curled up to sleep with little baby Peaches.

Manny agreed, although his word was silent. He closed his eyes wearily and slept, forgetting about the worrying matter of the two others in the forest.

In the forest, Diego was starting to freak out a little. Sid was humming a melody and prancing around the dark forest, choosing different fruits and berries to munch on for enjoyment.

'Hurry up, Sid,' Diego growled, his claws piercing the earth's ground. 'We need to get back now. Something tells me that something here isn't right.'

'Oh, relax, Diego,' Sid sighed. 'You said that like, ten minutes ago, and nothing has happened.'

Diego kept telling himself that Sid was right, but in many ways, that was quite difficult to believe. Firstly, Diego's always trusted his instincts. Secondly, Sid was hard to believe sometimes.

'Alright,' Sid announced, choosing a purple berry from a green bush. 'Let's get-'

Suddenly, four large sabre-toothed-tigers leapt out from every direction of the two. They growled and caved in, blocking all escape for them. Diego backed off, knocking into Sid who was trembling behind Diego.

'Okay,' Sid said quietly. 'You were right.'

Diego growled at the sabres, who he very well knew. Directly in front of him was an outraged Soto, snarling and drawing closer. Diego observed a scarred mark on his sides, which he assumed was from the icicles that had killed him before.

'Well, well, well,' Soto sneered menacingly. 'What do we have here, boys?'

The pack sneered and laughed maniacally. Diego stressed out.

'I said, WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?' Soto roared again.

'Oh…uh…betrayers…' the pack stammered unexpectedly.

'Good. Now, Diego, you've given me eight lives. You also lost our food, so that counts a life. Also, you betrayed me. That counts two lives. You have eight lives now too, don't you? Well, your faults equal up to three. Do the math, Diego. How many lives do you have now?'

Diego thought and was about to respond something when Sid remarkably cried out.

'He would have five!' Sid exclaimed.

'Shut up, sloth!' Diego snarled, annoyed.

'Correct,' Soto agreed and forced Diego to back into a rock wall. There was no escape for Diego and Sid. What would happen?

'Now, boys,' Soto said, the mean coolness in his tone stunningly stained. 'Get the sloth. But leave me Diego. It's time you and I made up.'

The pack grabbed Sid and took him away, leaving Diego who was desperately searching for escape. He couldn't fight Soto, or that would lead to a fatality. Then, when Diego had lost all hope. Soto raised his paw and gave a loud roar…then threw it down in order to scar Diego.

Diego braced himself for the pain, but felt nothing. He forced himself to open his eyes and he saw Soto struggling to get up and Shira pinning him to the ground.

'Get away from me, Shira,' Soto growled.

'Why don't you get away from Diego?' Shira growled back.

Diego noticed a new scar that ran down her face. It was bleeding and it looked painful. He realised that when Shira came to save him, Soto had scratched Shira, instead of Diego.

'You know, Shira, I haven't missed you at all,' Soto snarled. 'Ever since you ran away I never have. In fact, I only found out you ran away recently. Why don't you carry on away where you belong and leave me alone? Everybody hates you and nobody wants you.'

'My mother used to tell me something. She used to say, "If you love somebody, you must stick by them forever."' Shira said in a quiet voice. She glanced over at Diego and gave a wan smile. She turned back to her father. 'I used to think that she should say that to you.'

Soto snarled, but he looked hurt. 'I had my own reasons.'

'Reasons!' Shira repeated sarcastically. 'You had to leave mother to go far away to kill some creature. You _couldn't _be there when she was in need. You _couldn't _be there when she became sick. You _couldn't _be there when she died! To me, I never believed that you _couldn't_, I always believed that you simply _didn't want to_! So when she died, oh, of course, it was somehow my fault. You weren't there, I was a baby, and I was afraid.'

Soto got up and pushed Shira off. He gave a long, cold stare at her.

'I was a sabre. Sabres fight for themselves.'

'That isn't true!'

'How would you know? You've been in a weird herd for months now probably.'

'If I have learnt anything in being in that herd, I would say that a herd sticks for each other no matter what,' Shira said. 'You stick for your pack, but you never stuck for your own family.'

Soto glowered at Shira. Diego stepped forward confidently and glared at Soto, furiously.

'I always knew that something was wrong in the pack. I always felt like something was missing and I just didn't seem to have it. But I know what it is,' Diego said. 'Trust. I could never trust you. I never trusted anybody. You'd always go back on your promises and lie.'

Soto stared at Diego and began to speak up. No matter what he said, it didn't make sense. He was a liar, a fraud and nothing would lighten the darkness in him. He had done so many faults and was responsible for everything, but he just wouldn't accept that.

'I was a leader of the pack. You others have to obey me! I am your leader and you obey me and die!' Soto yelled. 'I was a leader of a pack and a family! What do you expect?'

'You didn't see it like that!' Shira yelled back. 'You never acknowledged the fact that you were a leader! You barely came home and we barely ate! Half of my siblings died because you weren't there! You were too busy frolicking away in the snow, across the world, terrorising humans for revenge!'

'That is not true!' Soto yelled.

'IT IS!' Shira screamed. 'YOU NEVER CARED! YOU NEVER LOVED ANYBODY! YOU WEREN'T RELIABLE! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?'

Soto stared at Shira and climbed on a cliff. 'You've said enough, snow leopard. Now leave, or I'll kill you.'

'You can never accept the fact that you were simply a bad husband,' Shira snarled and she and Diego took off, leaving Soto in hurt and realisation.

It was true all that they said. He was never home, never wanted to be home. He didn't have reasonable answers. He was a selfish tiger and nothing would make him realise that. So when he came home and Shira was all alone with her dead mother, he was guilty and blamed Shira for it, to make him believe it.

'What have you done?' he remembered booming to Shira, who was sobbing.

'Mother got sick, Dad! She died! Where were you?' Shira had screamed.

Where were you? The words rang like a gong in his head, stained forever. Her distraught face and panic that stained on him. Where were you? He was at Glacier Pass, murdering a deer. Panic closed on him as he remembered. All those trips he took with the pack and he never brought anything home. No food. They always had to hunt for themselves. He always took the meat with his pack, but never with his family.

Life hurt, it did.

But is there a way to make things right?

No.

Not in his case, he thought.

He was wrong and bad all the way. He had tried to kill Diego who was sin pursuit of protecting a friend. He had never been home for his family. He left his wife to die. Soto struggled to walk along the cliff's edge. His daughter had grown up to be a strong girl. Was he proud? It was his daughter, but he saw her as an enemy. He didn't have any liking for her.

Soto glanced down the cliff.

'Should I?' he asked himself. 'Should I kill myself for the wrong I have committed?'

He stared down at the long drop that he was planning to do. He answered himself.

'No.'


	3. A Threatening Decision

Soto's Revenge Chapter 3

Sunrise shot up from the morning sky, awakening Diego quickly. He woke up and realised that everybody was asleep, inhaling and exhaling deeply. He stretched quietly, and left the herd to do a morning walk. He glanced into the forest anxiously, recalling the events that occurred the day before when Soto had threatened to kill him.

'How did he come back?' Diego wondered. 'Is he going to stop leaving me alone?'

Diego peered into the forest. He was starving and he hadn't eaten since the unpleasant reunion. The male looked into the forest with temptation written in his face clearly.

'It'll only be ten minutes or so,' Diego told himself. 'Just an antelope, I suppose…'

And with that, he left into the forest, hoping to find a good catch to fill his hollow stomach.

Meanwhile, back at the herd Shira had woken up. She noticed Diego was gone, but instantly suggested that he was hungry. After all, he refused dinner the night before, so he must've been starving. Shira glanced at her cubs and noticed they were all sleeping safely.

The female sat upright, and thought about her hated father. She could've killed him yesterday. She really wanted to. He didn't care about his own family. He put blame on others to make him look like the perfect one of all.

'I hate him, I hate him just so much,' Shira thought to herself. 'What if he's out there still?'

Shira waited for the next hour for Diego to come back. The herd was deep in sleep, as usual. Sid was exhausted, and he usually slept for another three hours. Shira was sure that the mammoths and opossums were tired too, since they had a long day yesterday.

'Where is Diego?' Shira muttered quietly. She was getting worried. Diego never took this long to catch a beast. 'I think I should check on him.' She looked down at her sleeping cubs nervously. 'Sweethearts, I'll be back soon.'

Shira picked all three up and hid them very well in a bush near Manny, Ellie and young Peaches. She covered leaves over them and she couldn't even tell where they were. 'Please, please be safe, darlings.'

With that, Shira bounded off towards the forest, in search of a male sabre-toothed-tiger. She glanced around, frightened. She couldn't find him. Suddenly, she saw a shadow behind a green tree. Shira glanced over it and saw Diego, injured deeply on his leg.

'Shira!' he gasped. 'What are you doing here?'

'I came to look for you,' Shira explained. 'You've been gone for a long time now, you know. I was beginning to worry.'

'What about the cubs?' Diego asked, anxiety rising in his voice.

Shira nodded, but Diego's anxious expression remained firm on his face. 'They're good. I hid them near Manny, in the bush. I even put leaves over them.' She noticed Diego's bloody hind leg. 'What on earth happened?'

'It was Soto!' Diego exclaimed. 'He got me! I was hunting and he whipped my hind. I can't walk, Shira. You need to get the cubs.'

The feline understood that the cubs meant so much to Diego, but she didn't understand why it was so sudden that he was inquiring of the cubs. 'Diego, what's going on?' Shira asked, her voice quivering.

Diego shifted uneasily on the ground. 'Soto told me that he was taking something special,' Diego said. 'I know what that means.'

'Oh no!' Shira cried, and bolted back to the herd. She ran quicker than she ever did before, and ripped open the leaves and bush noisily.

'What's going on, Shira?' Manny asked, waking up from the noise.

Shira didn't reply. 'Creswell! Where's Dania?' Shira cried as she couldn't find the third cub anywhere.

Creswell trembled in fear. Joyce spoke up. 'A big mean tiger took her. He said to tell you that revenge is the beginning of fate.'

'Dania!' Shira screamed.

'What is going on?' Ellie cried. 'Are you alright, Shira? Where the heck is Diego?'

'Diego's hurt,' Shira trembled. 'We need help! Dania's gotten kidnapped by Soto! He's going to kill her!'

Sid stirred awake. 'Hey guys,' he yawned and sleepily woke up.

Shira bounded away faster than ever. 'Help Diego! Just find him! He can't walk!'

With that, Shira ran with all her heart, tears streaming down her white face. The feline sprinted, following the track of sabre prints. Then, she smelt it. She could pick up Dania's scent. She slowed down and followed it.

Ten minutes later, she stood in front of a dark cave.

'Well, if it isn't Shira?' a dark voice sneered. 'Come to rescue your baby? Where's Diego? Dead, I suppose?'

Shira tensed up. 'Enough with the questions, Soto. Where is Dania?'

Soto appeared in front of her, his eyes glowing with wickedness. Shira was stressed. 'Where is she, Soto?' she demanded, her voice rising.

'Perhaps I should explain. Dania is not killed yet. But, if you want to save her, you'd better know this. There's a price for rescuing. A life, for a life.'

Shira's eyes widened and she felt fear wash over her. 'I want my daughter back, Soto!' Shira yelled. 'Now!'

'If you're willing to kill yourself, go ahead,' Soto agreed. 'You have fourteen minutes to decide. Starting now.'

Shira's eyes watered. She couldn't let Dania go. She couldn't die either. Wasn't there a way? Oh, Diego, where are you? She paced around anxiously, and heard a deafening roar. The ground beneath her shook hard and the rocks vibrated on the ground. Soto looked around frantically, in fright, wondering what the noise was.

Shira glanced at the entrance of the cave and saw a half squirrel, half rat creature, running for his life, clutching his acorn. He was screaming loudly, and Shira realised that there was an eruption. The land began to crack, and Shira heard a yowl.

'Dania!' Shira cried as she saw Dania appear. She went to grab her, but missed as Soto swiped a claw at her.

'YOUR DECISION?' Soto roared over the loud cracking noise. 'WHAT IS YOUR DECISION?'

The ground was cracking loudly now, and if Shira didn't say anything, Soto would drop Dania into the crack. Sweat, tears and pain stripped over her face. Fourteen minutes! Thirteen minutes had already passed.

'YOU STATE IT IN…TEN, NINE, EIGHT…' Soto announced.

'SEVEN, SIX, FIVE FOUR…'

The ground trembled louder than ever and she could faintly hear Soto's voice. A loud smack erupted in the room and rocks screamed down on the sabres inside.

'JUST KILL THEM BOTH, SOTO!' Oscar yelled.

'YEAH, THEY'RE BOTH BASTARDS!' Zeke added encouragingly.

'THREE, TWO...ONE!'

'What is your decision?' Soto demanded.

Shira knew the answer. Fury was in her answer.

'A life for a life, Soto,' Shira said confidently. 'A life for a life.'

Wow! What happens next? Please review this chapter! Your comments are appreciated! Thank you fans, thanks so much!


	4. A Life for a Life

Shira's paws were trembling with fear. She'd definitely said it. There was no slight doubt about it. Quietly, she took a step forward. The loud eruption of the volcanic earthquake had created a loud trembling noise, and had made a huge crack in front of them, about fifty three metres deep.

She quickly recalled what she had decided. Oh yes, that was right. A life for a life. It was her firm decision to save her daughter. What were Soto's requirements? Well, it was pretty self explanatory. A life for a life, so, she'd save a life but in return, she had to give a life.

A smirk drew over her face.

That's what she'd do.

Shira leapt over the other side of the crack and stared at Soto darkly, straight in the eye. His eyes were firing with fury as he stared back.

'A life for a life,' she repeated to him.

He smirked. 'Any goodbyes?' he snarled as he placed Shira's daughter down.

'No, of course not,' Shira replied, trying to sound as innocent as possible. Soto looked surprised. Shira waited for the right moment to come when…

'Shira!'

She looked up and saw Diego, skidding into the cave. Soto looked and snarled, so quickly.

Chance, opportunity, it was all screaming at her. Quicker than her mind could register, as Soto looked, she grabbed the opportunity, and slapped Soto's back harder than ever. This surprised him, and he fell into the crack before him.

'Aargh!' screamed Soto, his voice fading as he travelled further down.

'A life for a life, Soto,' Shira repeated. 'A life for a life.'

Diego quickly rushed forward and looked down the crack. There was a very faint noise of a landing, but afterwards, silence washed over.

'We've gotta go get him!' Zeke demanded, his thin body swivelling around in fright. 'Now!' he yelled, excitedly, and plunged into the crack.

'Stupid!' Oscar screamed at Zeke. The stupid sabre had plunged into the crack, killing him, absentmindedly.

Oscar looked around, and caught sight of Diego snarling. 'Well, you're back here, hey?' Oscar snarled back. 'What do you want? Trying to save the world? Impressing your little girlfriend?'

Shira roared in rage, defending Diego. She made a huge leap and pinned Oscar down. The sabre was stunned at the sudden attack, but his hostile nature enabled him to look bored.

'What are you going to do now?' he snapped. 'Kill me?' He scoffed in disbelief.

Shira raised a paw and scratched his face. It was a light scratch, more of a slap. There wasn't even any blood involved. But Oscar grew enraged, and with his mighty strength, he leapt up and Shira fell back.

'SHIRA!' yelled Diego, astonished. Shira was clutching the ground fearfully. She was dangling, and in a matter of seconds, she could fall to her fate- inside the crack. Shira struggled as she tried to clamber up. Oscar gave a smirk, and raised his paw to push Shira off, but Diego leapt over and pushed down Oscar. They fought and attacked, but suddenly stopped at the sound of a couple words.

'Hey, guys,' a faint voice called up. 'Can you help me get out? Soto just farted before he died, so it smells down here. Help, anyone? Heeeeeeellllppp?'

'I'm coming down!' Lenny assured, blindly, and he plunged down just as Zeke had done.

'LENNY, YOU IDIOT!' Oscar screamed.

He looked up at Diego, who was clearly distracted. In a flash, Oscar pushed Diego away from him. Diego fell and Shira looked up.

Diego was cornered, and he had to retreat, quickly. He made a leap for the other side of the cave, avoiding the crack. Oscar just smirked, and he looked at Diego smugly, as he leapt over the other side too, caving in on them.

Shira snarled at Oscar to get away, but before she could defend herself, the enemy sabre opened his jaws and clutched her neck. Immediately, Shira fell to the ground, unmoving. Another opportunity gathered. Diego was distracted, again, but for a good reason. Oscar, clearly stealing a lot of power from Diego, grabbed Diego and attempted to hurl him towards the crack.

Diego just made it. He clutched an inbuilt stone to help him up, but it was too weak to hold a sabre's weight. Instead, he had taken Shira's previous position. Oscar smiled. Things were going his way, and he could finally kill his old enemy. He'd hurt Diego every way he wanted to. He'd killed his wife. He'd helped to threaten his daughter's life. Now, he was going to die.

Oscar hurled himself up to let Diego down, but a paining scratch suddenly scarred his neck. He turned around and saw a little baby sabre girl scratching and biting him. Oscar tried hurling her down, but surprisingly, she had good grip.

Sharp grip, too.

Oscar felt sharp claws stab his neck. His eyes widened in pain, but that was a very wrong idea. Dania scarred his eye- half his eyelid, and his actual eye. This was bad. He roared in pain, and Dania hopped off the injured sabre, knowing her work was finished.

But as Oscar tried to limp away, he tripped over Dania and plunged himself into the crack. But Dania was pushed by the force of his weight, and she fell down as well.

'Dania!' shouted Diego, as he finally pulled himself up. He spun around and saw a limp sabre pushing her up.

'Shira!' Diego cried. 'You're okay!'

Shira limped towards him, and tried for a smile. 'Where is Dania?' she asked.

'Help! Mummy! Daddy! Help me!' a little voice screamed, petrified.

Faster than the speed of sound, Diego and Shira appeared to where the voice was coming. They saw their darling Dania hanging onto a thin ledge desperately. They both helped her up and made sure she was okay.

'I hate him!' the girl was shouting as they went home. 'If he comes back, I'm gonna rip out his eyeballs this time and-and put them in hot water!'

Diego and Shira smiled at Dania, as she raved on about her plan to revenge on Oscar.

By night, Dania was still raving on.

'Sleep now, Dania,' Shira insisted. Dania complained as she curled in with her siblings, but in a matter of minutes, she was asleep.

Diego and Shira smiled together, and quietly, they fell asleep.

By tomorrow, the hectic day would have ended, and things would return to normal, but that very day would never be forgotten.


End file.
